This is among my favorite recipes from the Wheat Belly book. I reproduce it here for those of you who read the Kindle or audio version and therefore didn’t get the recipes.
I made this most recently this past weekend. It was gone very quickly, as even the 13-year old gobbled it up.
(I reduced the sour cream in this version from 8 to 6 oz to reduce cooking time. Also, note that anyone trying to avoid dairy can substitute more coconut milk, i.e., the thicker variety, in equivalent quantities.)
Makes 8-10 servings
Ingredients:
Cake:
2 cups carrots, finely grated
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons freshly grated orange peel
Sweetener equivalent to ½ cup sugar (e.g., 4 tablespoons Truvia)
½ teaspoon sea salt
4 eggs
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup coconut milk
6 ounces sour cream
Icing:
8 ounces cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese, softened
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Truvía or 1/8 teaspoon stevia extract powder or ¼ cup Splenda
Preheat oven to 325° degrees F. Grate carrots and set aside.
Combine coconut flour, flaxseed, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, orange peel, sweetener, and salt in large bowl and mix by hand.
Put eggs, butter or coconut oil, vanilla coconut milk, and sour cream in mixing bowl; mix by hand. Pour liquid mixture into dry pecan/coconut flour mixture and blend with power mixer until thoroughly mixed. Stir carrots and pecans in by hand with spoon. Pour mixture into greased 9- or 10-inch square cake pan.
Bake for 60 minutes or until toothpick withdraws dry. Allow to cool 30 minutes.
Place Neufchâtel cheese in bowl. Add lemon juice and sweetener and mix thoroughly. Spread on cake.
I can’t eat ground flaxseed. What can I use instead?
I enjoyed this cake. I am currently switching to a wheat free diet however I find I am getting sugar cravings HARD! I end up chowing chips or chocolate which isn’t going to help in anyway I am quite certain. I decided I needed to make something that would help kick those cravings…this did a pretty decent job I think I might do a sugar detox diet I found on the internet see if that helps. I haven’t given into any wheat cravings which I am sure are where the sugar cravings are coming from. It’s a killer, stressful too. Feeling hungry when you just chowed a ton of veggies and you know you aren’t actually hungry. Recipes like his are a definite asset to me! I am not overweight and have not noticed a change in weight…but when I binge hard on junk pretty hard to see any type of result I am thinking! I was good for the first month and am now finding myself craving crap. Its been about 5wks.
This is usually a sign of insufficient fats and oils, Lindsay.
Most of us do best by eating the skin/dark meat/fat on our poultry, the fat on beef and pork, boils the bones for soup or stock. Add more coconut and extra-virgin olive oil to anything you can.
This induces satiety and gets you out of the starvation mode you sound like you are currently experiencing.
I made this and found it moist mealy as well, but maybe it’s supposed to be like that? It was not fluffy and spongy like a cake. My husband liked it, so I guess it is a success, but would like a better consistency. I might try a tablespoon of arrowroot powder and or some almond flour to see what happens next time. The coconut flapjacks also flopped on me – I had to remove an egg for them to be edible by my kids (too eggy otherwise).
Also, my cake turned out very light, not dark at all like the photo. How did this dark color come about?
And the question remains, what is the texture supposed to be like?
Thanks for any support,
Tanya
The texture should be cake-like, nearly like that of the wheat-based equivalent.
One possibility that was just brought to my attention: Some people are buying roasted ground flaxseed that seems to be generating a mealy texture. Beyond that, it could be that your ground almond meal/flour is too coarse a grind and a finer grind might help.
Almond? My book says coconut.
I have the 2011 Wheat Belly book (not cook book) and for this carrot cake recipe it says use sweetner equivalent to 1 cup sucrose NOT half cup which is what the online versions state. ???? Which one is correct? Imade this cake last night and it came out pretty well and I used 1 cup stevia in the raw and “beverage” coconut milk from a carton not from a can. Does it make a difference?
Hey Dr,
I just tried this recipe. Not as dry and fluffy as what I was used to but definitely excellent, everybody loved here, especially my wife :) Here in Denmark, these flavours are really appreciated (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc).
I used only xylitol for the sweetening and this can explain the more dense and moist texture I obtained. I might increase the baking time when I do it again and try a combination of sweeteners (stevia / xylitol) and flours (I may use ground almonds). For this first attempt, I also added chopped cashew nuts to the pecan nuts and grated carrots.
I also tried the WB cheese cake by the way, and that was also a big hit!
Cheers for the recipes!
J.
PS: It is the first time ever that I had not gained weight throughout the entire Xmas and new year’s break. As I have mentioned earlier, I wanted to go out of ketosis for a while and just maintain my weight. Well, I can see that without the wheat, grains, starches and sugar, it is really easy, regardless of all the baking and goodies I have indulged in during the holidays.
We tried this recipe, and it was horrendous. It tasted bad, with a chemical after taste, and a bad texture. Even the dog did not like it. I have been baking for years and never had a recipe turn out so badly. It was a waste of time, effort and ingredients. Did not expect it to taste like “original” carrot cake, but this was truly horrible.
I suspect that one of your ingredients was tainted or spoiled, Jennifer.
The recipe itself works just fine, judging by the many positive experiences, but it cannot account for tainted ingredients.
I’d have to agree with the comment on the outcome re the carrot cake recipe provided in the book Wheatbelly. It is not a good product and I’d like to follwup with a question. Are all the recipes in the original book and the Wheat Belly cookbook, field tested? No where in the written material per the books is it mentioned that each recipe has been cooked or made and sampled by various parties. I received the cookbook for Christmas but after the carrot cake sampling I’m wondering what the rest of the recipes will taste like. I’m open to different tastes but ‘mealy paste stickum to the roof of your mouth and choke up the wind pipe’ isn’t a good product. Could recipes be starred or high lighted that have been through a panel sample testing and taste good?
The book Wheat Belly is a wonder as to the benefits it can provide as I dealt with chronic acid stomach for 25 years and sinus issues for 20. Being 58 now and knowing this improvement of health is beyond remarkable.
All the ingredients were fresh from the store, and have since been used in different items with no negative impact. Therefor, I have to go with the recipe being defective with a bad resulting item.
Hi Dr. Davis – another hit! I love this carrot cake. The first time I made it, it was a bit on the dry side, so I just made it again to take to Thanksgiving dinner this week and I added a bit more coconut milk. It is soooo moist and delicious! I also adjusted the amount of orange zest (1tbs – 2 was a bit too bitter for my taste last go round…I added a tsp of orange extract, which gave it some nice flavor without the bitterness). This time I also baked them in a muffin tin, so I got 18 carrot muffins – perfect for sharing. With a smear of the yummy icing, it’s good to go. I ate one for breakfast this morning! YUM! Can’t wait to hear what the family says tomorrow night!
Gee, thanks for reminding me, Cynthia: I’m going to whip up a batch myself!
Mr. Davis I’ve been trying for over 2 mths to contact you thru the Rodel Books. Why I contacted them was because the Carrot Cake I made was not at all great. I thought there was an ingredient missing. There was no way on God’s green earth that my mixture after all ingredients were brought together my batter was stiff as a board.. There was no consitency to it for me to pour it into the dish to be cooked..Before I attempt to try again, I must inform you it’s not cheap and it was upsetting to through out my recipe. Please I plea with you, is there an ingredient that was omitted without meaning too. My recipe as I said was like a rock. Please let me know the recipe is truly correct in your book and no ingredients are missing. But if there is please let me kinow what was omitted so that I can bake it and enjoy the full flavor I’m looking for. Blessings to all of you.Shirley
Sorry, Shirley, but I have no idea why your results are so different than everyone else’s. It’s been tried and tested many times without the results you experienced. So I suspect that one or more of your ingredients are somehow different.
One suggestion: Try replacing coconut flour with almond flour. Perhaps your coconut flour, more so than other brands, is more hygroscopic, i.e., water-absorbent.
Mine turned out the same way. Awful!! Dry, mealy. My ingredients are fresh. Spices from Penzeys. Why so bad?
Dr. Davis,
I have just started on the wheatbelly diet 5 days ago. I have lost 4 pounds. I waslooking for a cake that would be okay to have and this is one I would probably like. I am a little confused though – is it okay to use Splenda? I have had no problems that I know of with Splenda but I want to make sure it is okay to use in moderation. It is more affordable for me so please let me know. Iplan to send you a blog on my history later.
Thank You,
Janet
Granulated Splenda is not the best choice, Janet, as it is mostly maltodextrin, which is essentially sugar (technically a glucose polymer).
Stevia (liquid or made with inulin), Truvia, xylitol, erythritol, and Swerve are other choices that are benign.
Hi Dr. Davis,
My husband and I heard your interview on NPR and have been wheat free for about 2 weeks with some fairly dramatic results in my husband’s waistline. We are going full speed ahead on this program so THANKS! for your work….
A post above touched on something I have been wondering about. You are saying NO to Ezekiel bread, does that include any sprouted wheat, rye, barley seed anything? And finally, what about green foods with wheat grass? Any feedback appreciated!
Laurel
That’s great, Laurel!
I would avoid all things wheat, sprouted, grass only, roots, seeds, organic, yellow, purple, or pink polka dot.
There is no way to completely disable the adverse effects of this thing.
My wife made this for me for my birthday. I didn’t see the batter, but she said it was dry, so she added plain whole-fat yogurt. There was more batter so she put it in a 9×13 pan. It turned out excellent!
Hi Dr. Davis,
I just made the Carrot cake recipe in your Wheat Belly book. I have not tasted it yet, as I am saving it for tonights desert, but it smells heavenly! I have a couple of questions; my batter was so thick I had to press it into the pan. Is this normal? It did not rise at all, is this normal? By the look of the cake when I inverted onto my serving plate, it”s very dense and possibly very dry. Your recipe posted on this site calls for only 1/2 cup of splenda, as opposed to a full cup in the book, which I used. I also substituted walnuts for the pecans. (just because thats what I had on hand). These are the only differences that I can see. Should this cake be very dense and dry like this or did I do something wrong?
Hi Dr. Davis,
Could you please clarify something for me. I am surprised you recommend Splenda as a sweetener and use it in your recipes in the book. Splenda states that their ingredients are 95% dextrose and maltodextrin derived from corn. In your book you say to stay away from all three of these. Thanks for taking the time to respond and clarify.
What is your opinion of Whey Low sugar replacement?
Baking powder has corn starch in it. Do you have any suggestions for substitutes?
You can just use baking soda.
I’ve tried both, one or the other, and neither in these wheat-free recipes and I don’t really think it matters.
Great audio book! And kudos to the reader as well.
This book had convinced me to go wheat free only an hour listening to it. Wheat free 3 weeks, and fasting insulin levels down to the 80’s from the 140’s. Granted, I tend to be somewhat single-minded when I set my mind to something, so I’m using the wheat/grain deficit to drive down my daily carb intake.
The only thing I regret by getting the audio book is that I didn’t get access to the recipes. Is there a way I can get my virtual hands on them. Failing that, can you recommend any sites providing recipes?
I’ve been somewhat caveman the last week – omelets, raw veggies, raw nuts, meat – no mixing dishes. But my wife gets home on Friday and I plan on making this recipe for her in the hopes she will ameliorate her constant cracker eating. I plan on playing the book on our 20-hour yearly Christmas trip to our families…but that’s a month away.
Thanks!
Hi, Llanfar–
Thanks for the feedback.
No, sorry, I don’t have a way to get the recipes to you. However, I am providing recipes through this blog. The “paleo” cookbooks, such as Paleo Comfort Foods and Everyday Paleo, are great places to start for recipes reasonably consistent with this approach.
I’ve been asked to write a cookbook, but that’s a good 18+ months away.
Wanted to ask about Ezekiel 4:19 bread? Is it good for you?
Thanks
Ezekiel is wheat, Charlotte. You can put makeup on it, rouge, and lipstick, it is still wheat.
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What about if somebody is allergy to EGGS???? Any ideas, please!
Hi, Magdalena–
I would experiment with more liquid, e.g., more coconut milk. I’ll bet it works out fine. It might be less cohesive, but I think you’ll still have a delicious carrot cake on your plate.
Just wanted to say you can make an easy egg substitute with just water and ground flaxseed. I found 2 recipies in an Amish cookbook and I have tried it before out of desparation…(no eggs in the house).
Egg replacer 1:
Add 1/2 cup ground flaxseed to 1 1/2 cup cold water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; stir constantly. Boil for 3 minutes. Cool. Keep in a closed jar in the fridge. Use in baking recipies. Subtitute 1 Tbsp for every egg.
Egg Replacer 2:
1/2tsp baking powder
2Tbsp milk
Equals 1 egg.
I appear to be allergic to stevia and wondered if you had any other sweetener recommendations that might work here. I try to avoid splenda as well. I have heard of something called “just like sugar” made from chicory, not sure how it tastes or cooks, but perhaps I could use that here instead? Thank you.
In his book he recomments low carb intake for the day. ( don’t have the book in front of me for the amount ) but it sure would be nice if all the recipes told how many carbs where in a serving.
Hello everyone-
I’m making the carrot cake as we speak and I was surprised that the final mix before baking was very thick. I have never made carrot cake before, so I’m guessing that it might be normal because I used the exact ingredients amounts, but the mix feels way thicker than a regular pound cake for example. Any thoughts?
Thanks
Hi, Carol–
Your time register says you are making carrot cake at 1:49 in the morning. An unusual time to bake!
Anyway, the consistency is approximately the same as that of the wheat-based dough, thick but stirrable. You don’t want it soupy, else it will take along time to bake and won’t cook internally. If you find you are making it too thick and dry, add a bit of liquid, e.g., coconut milk, sour cream.
Hi, can you clarify how finely (or coarsely) chopped the pecans are supposed to be? I am confused because the instructions say:
“Pour liquid mixture into dry *pecan*/coconut flour mixture and blend with power mixer until thoroughly mixed.” But then it says: “Stir carrots and *pecans* in by hand with spoon.”
So when do you add the pecans and are they supposed to be coarse (ie. to provide some texture contrast), or finely chopped like meal or flour (which would be important if you are counting on this for the right batter consistency?) Maybe the answer is obvious to everyone else but me! Must be because I am a detail obsesses engineer!
Also, like some others, in our household we are very mistrusting of the artificial sweetener industry…perhaps they all should not be painted with the same brush, but it just annoys us when we see sucralose and aspartame creeping into everything (like yoghurt for crying out loud).
Is 1/2 Cup of white sugar all that bad spread out in an entire cake? What about other natural sweeteners for alternatives like honey (god bless the bees) and maple syrup?
Hi, Civil–
These recipes are relatively new and, I believe, it requires a bit of an adventurous spirit to try new ways to create new dishes.
The ground pecans I’ve used had the rough consistency of oat bran: Not a true powder, but a coarse granular texture.
I believe that sucrose, honey, and maple syrup are not just a little bad, but VERY bad because of their fructose content, not because of their carbohydrate content.
Yum! Sounds delicious. How many thousands of calories per slice? Calories still count for something, as does LDL cholesterol. This recipe sounds like a sugar bomb in a feel-good wheat-free wrapper. As for Splenda/Truvia, I have a rough rule of thumb: If I can’t pronounce it, it doesn’t go into my mouth. But, heck: I’m Canadian. What do I know about cake? North of the (currently still) undefended border we eat pie for dessert with ice cream or whipped 35% cream. We like to live dangerously! Now, if I can only find a recipe for wheat-free Southern Fried Chicken coating…
No ‘losing weight guru’ can make decisions for you. We are here to help you, and give you tips about what to do and not to do. You are the one who decides: Whether you will go work-out today, Yes or No? Will I eat that Hamburger today, Yes or No? When you make a decision think of your goal. Give 100% to reach your target and don’t stop till you are there. When you are about to make a decision think like this: Will this be positive or negative to reach my target to lose weight?
Dr. Davis,
Loved the pumpkin spice muffins, and it did not raise my blood glucose by much. For those of us who are prediabetic and eating low carb, is the carrot cake low carb enough that it shouldn’t be a problem? Also wondered if you have a nondairy alternative for the icing..
Hi, Louise–
Gee, I’m surprised it raised your blood sugar at all. I’ll bet if you repeat it you won’t see it happen consistently.
No, sorry, no non-dairy way to make icing. But that’s an interesting question! You could, I suppose, just whip egg whites, add some lemon juice and splenda/Truvia; it’d be a little light, but that would be something. I’ve never whipped coconut milk to know whether you could make it thick enough to use as icing.
Dr. Davis,
I made this cake for my husband’s birthday on Friday, and it was great! Thank you!
We have also made the blueberry/banana muffins from your book, and they are excellent. However, the sweetener I bought (Xylitol) gave one of us an upset stomach, so I’ll try something different next time.
Congrats on the continuing success of your book – good work!! My husband’s life-long digestive issues stopped cold 5 days after discontinuing wheat. Not going back!
Diana
Great, Diana!
Tolerance to sweeteners tends to be an individual thing. I’ve had greatest success with Truvia.
Dr. Davis,
I actually reduced the amount of sweetner because stevia seems to be ultra sweet. The coconut flour I get comes from our farmer’s market in Atlanta, and is kind of granular, so maybe I need to try a more commercial brand? I use the Trader Joe’s almond meal and it seems to brown really quickly. Do you have brands that have worked well for you?
Hi, Kristin–
The Trader Joe’s brand of ground almonds has actually worked very well in many recipes. Because the price is so good, I’ve used it in many different recipes. So I doubt the problem was with the Trader Joe’s almond meal.
I wonder, then, if there was something unique about your coconut flour. I’ve been using the Bob’s Red Mill brand. I hate to dissuade you from using a locally-produced brand, but it might be worth a try. The Red Mill brand has served me well many, many times.
Where do you find coconut flour? I’m in the Milwaukee area too.
Dr. Davis,
I made the carrot cake recipe today and I am sorry to say that it didn’t turn out well. I used stevia as a sweetener – could this have been the problem? The cake just tasted kind of bland and mushy. I looked at a conventional recipe and there is A LOT of sugar – how do you replicate that?
Also, I am struggling with the texture of the coconut flour and the easy burnability of almond meal.
I’d appreciate your help on this, because I am working hard to convert my three children to a wheat free diet, and I am trying to find acceptable substitutes for favorite foods.
Today I also made an apple pie that I adapted from a Cooks Illustrated recipe – I substituted coconut flour, flax and almond meal for the flour. It wasn’t perfect but the boys loved it.
Gee, Kristin, I’m not sure.
I’ve had success with using stevia, so I don’t think that was the case. If you used liquid stevia, you might try Truvia next time and see whether that is the key for you.
Another possibility: Perhaps the stevia you used was less potent and more will be required to achieve the sweetness you desire. You can taste your batter before putting in the oven to test for sweetness.
I’m surprised by the almond meal burning and by the texture of the coconut flour. It sounds like they may have been somehow unique. I’ve tried several different brands, including self-ground, and this has never happened.
Don’t be discouraged. It might require a bit of playing around to get it right, but it’s definitely worth it.
I made the carrot cake today—-couldn’t find coconut flour (guess I’ll have to order it from the net). I used almond flour instead——purely experimental. Tasted pretty good, but would probably rise more with coconut flour. I used the powder stevia in it but think I could’ve used more to make it sweeter. It was very edible and a nice treat. I’m new at this diet and so far the thing I like best is that I’m not simply driven by hunger from about noon to the end of the day.
Excellent, Abby!
You will see that desire for sweetness drops over time. So I wrote the recipes with a level of sweetener that I thought would suit most tastes. However, particularly at the beginning, taste your batter before putting in the oven to see whether you’ve achieved the level of sweetness you desire.
I’m about to make the Carrot Cake for the first time (and my first Wheat Belly recipe since hearing about this book a couple of weeks ago). Question, I don’t see any nutritional information for any of these recipes. I have been avoiding wheat products for some months by substituting high fiber/low carb wraps, etc, but now am off of wheat completely. I have realized the stated benefits including lifting of brain fog, better sleep, flatter stomach, clearer vision, even less frequent urination!, but I’m still interested in the nutritional values. Thanks, Sharon
Noted, Sharon.
My reasoning on the lack of nutritional values was simple: They don’t matter. Elimination of wheat eliminates the gliadin protein that stimulates appetite. This means that some people even experience no appetite and start to worry that they are not eating enough.
I do not advise counting fat grams, proteins grams, or calories, and I did not want to give the impression that they were important. In fact, with my office patients I advocate eating all you want, high-protein, high-fat, just limited carbohydrates. The recipes have next to no carbohydrates.
Oh wow! What time zone does this post to? I posted at 11:46 cst and it showed 4:46 am! ??
Hi Dr. D,
2 items: The carrot cake looks wonderful, any particular brand of coconut flour to use?
Also, I am having a problem receiving this to my email ;with this blog as well as the TYP.
I was on the Heart Scan Blog blogger site, and had no problem getting posts, but both new sites say my email is already in the system when I try and subscribe….but no posts, no email. ?? Anything I can do on my end?
Oh, and warmest congrats on the success of Wheatbelly!
Reikime
Hi, Reikime–
It seems that the conversion over to WordPress still has a few glitches. I will pass onto the IT Guy.
I’ve been using Bob’s Red Mill coconut flour and it’s been working well.
i love the book and have embraced wheat free too, but I do have a question that keeps coming into my mind – is it the wheat or the weight loss? I am curious if there are any readers out there that had high blood sugar, diabetes, etc. and did not need to lose weight and they went wheat free and now their “markers” are down or moving towards normal, and they didn’t lose weight? I agree with everyone else that when I do not eat wheat I do not crave eating all the time and I can bypass the bread, cereals, etc. That in itself causes me to eat less and helps my blood sugar issues, but since I need to lose weight and am, I can’t attest to weight loss not being the big driver when my blood sugar goes down, etc. so would love to hear from others, Comments anyone?
Hi, Linda–
I think it’s both.
If you ingest two slices of whole wheat bread, blood sugar skyrockets. In other words, the effects are immediate and don’t require weight loss.
Weight loss amplifies the effects, since weight loss also restores responsiveness to insulin.
I have made this, the Apple Walnut “Bread” and the Cheese Cake from the book. They have all been awesome. (the carrot cake and the cheese cake are superior to their sugar’d, wheat filled varieties in my opinion)
One thing that I have found interesting with all of the recipes is that without the wheat in there messing with my hunger signals, it is amazing how little of them I eat. I absolutely LOVE carrot cake and actually would love to sit there eating it forever. Except with this recipe, that is impossible. I love the taste and will try and force myself to take another bite and I simply cannot. I was actually sitting on the couch with a giant piece of cake, attempting to force myself to be slothful and instead I lost another 1/2 pound.
I have the same experience! It’s almost impossible to over eat! Where it used to be a guilty pleasure to fill up on pasta or pizza and roll around in the gut busted, lazy after-glow, now I eat until I’m full and there is no other option but to stop and my only instant gratification is I am no longer hungry… I miss the after-glow a little.
That’s great, Chris!
Forcing yourself to be slothful and losing another 1/2 pound? That alone made my night!
Flax seed contains phytoestrogens. This study-Supplementation with flaxseed alters estrogen metabolism in postmenopausal women to a greater extent than does supplementation with an equal amount of soy – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14749240 explains how flax can have a greater effect on postmenopausal women than even soy.
I wouldn’t be feeding my family very much, if any flax since it could have an adverse affect on men and boys too. I have estrogen dominance and flax definitely worsens my symptoms.
On another similar topic, i saw in the book that soy sauce is on the unlimited foods list. Most soy sauce is brewed from wheat. To be wheat free, you need to find a wheat-free brand like San-J Organic Wheat Free Tamari Soy Sauce.
I really enjoyed the book and have been 3 days wheat free and I have already lost almost a pound. My brain fog is also clearing and I look forward to many more benefits.
Thank you Dr. Davis.
Thanks, Deborah!
I do believe you are correct, though I suspect that the flax issue is idiosyncratic, i.e., affecting some people but not all. I hope this issue clarifies over time.
I, too, experienced a lifting a brain fog with wheat elimination. Although I experienced many other benefits, just the lifting of brain fog alone was well worth it.
We made the carrot cake last night, each ate a piece in the evening. I personally did not have much experience with carrot cake previously, but my husband has, so he was the bakery chef and I helped. It was fun working in the kitchen together on a recipe we were trying for the first time. We have been eating wheat free, gluten free, low carb for about a month. This is not a fad diet for us; this is a change in mindset, habits, expectations, as well as ingredients. We discarded all products with wheat the first week. I personally was feeling better by the second week. I had already begun weaning myself off blood pressure meds when I began the wheat free regimen. My blood pressure is actually getting better now and I am on half dose. Thanks for posting the great recipe. We look forward to any and all suggestions and recipes.
I notice this recipe has a small bit of ground flaxseed. Back when I was 65 and hadn’t yet discovered low carb I read that flaxseed was good for post-menopausal women. I started consuming several tablespoons of ground flax seed every day, mainly added to my own muffin recipe. I soon started getting horrible hot flashes, way worse than any I’d ever had before. Once I figured out these symptoms had to be caused by the flaxseed, I went cold turkey and I remember several days of sweat just pouring down my face. I wonder if any other women have had a similar experience and also whether flaxseed could be unhealthy.
Hi, Barbara–
I’ve heard of this a couple of times before, but I don’t know whether it’s an idiosyncratic response or a hint of something more generalized.
It sounds like something you should avoid, however.
Dr. Davis, can you substitute almond milk for the coconut milk? I still have almond milk left over from the biscotti recipe. Thanks.
Yes, you can, Marlene.
Just be careful about cooking times when you change the liquids. Use a toothpick to assess whether done or not.
This cake looks great, can’t wait to try it.
My book arrived from Amazon UK at the weekend and I’m enjoying reading it – up to chapter 8 so far.
I read the Kindle version, and I can assure you that the recipes are included. I did, however, then purchase the book itself in order to have easier access to them. And yes, this carrot cake is AWESOME!
Whoa,
I remember reading this recipe in the book, and I drooled then, and I’m drooling now.
As a testament to how we’ve changed our kitchen, we already have all the ingredients!
Woohoo! Thanks Dr. Davis, I’ll post pictures of ours on Wheat-Free Wanderer.
Carrot Cake tonight!
Yes, James: Please post photos, not to mention any odd wheat flashbacks you might experience!
This sounds great! Carrot cake is one of my favs! Since it is made with coconut flour would it be OK to incorporate into my diet while trying to lose weight or should I hold off on it?
What? The Kindle version doesn’t have the recipes? Rip-off!! I just bought the Google E-Books version, does IT have recipes? I really hope so, I just bought it and am going to be majorly dissapointed if it doesn’t!
I’m w/ Melissa – this sounds like a good recipe for carrot & zucchini!
I love the inclusion of coconut oil & milk! Our family has several w/ egg yolk sensitivity, I usually use ground flax/ chia as a replacement w/ extra liquid. I have also been telling folks about the book – need to order a copy!
Yesterday a gal I mentioned it to gave the usual “I love my breads too much” response, a bite of this cake might sway her!!
I just made this without eggs (subbed 4 T. ground flax + 3/4 c hot water) for my egg-allergic son. He looooooved it. I mistakenly used coconut milk *beverage* instead of the canned kind, and it did turn out kind of mushy. Next time I’ll use the right coconut milk and bake it until it is firmer.
Nice substitutions, Natalie!
Yes, the beverage form of coconut milk tends to be thin, despite still being called “coconut milk.”
I made this cake tonight and I actually found coconut milk intended for coffee and it is thicker and much creamier – worked well in the cake! My only problem with the cake was that it was very crumbly..pretty dry, but so delicious! Very rich….
My husband and I had such a blast making dinner…and I figured out why…we weren’t starving! Our dinner was ready and we actually ate as an afterthought…we’re appreciating food and time together more than ever…and it’s partly because we’re losing the dreaded addiction to wheat…
You could always try an additional egg for better cohesiveness, Anne.
I’ve done the same thing: Gotten absorbed in the cooking, then realized I wasn’t hungry! Endless interesting revelations in this new wheat-free world!
This sounds amazing. I may tweak it a bit and add some zucchini to the mix. I have a bunch of carrots and zucchini from my CSA share and this looks like a perfect way to use it.
Hi, Melissa–
Good to see you here!
If you make an improvement, please be sure to let me know!
This is yummy. My favorite nut for recipes like this is walnuts. Used coconut oil and added 1 cup of shredded zucchini and 1 tsp almond extract (in addition to the vanilla). I can never leave a recipe alone! Best thing about these low carb recipes is that if I feel like having two pieces, I can!
Good to know, Pj. I’ve not tried ground walnuts for most of these recipes.
I do the same thing: Always tweak it a bit to see if I can improve on it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
To all who are worried about not getting recipes on the Kindle version. The hard bound book has very few recipes. The value lies in the text.
The Kindle version DOES have the recipes. I have already made this using the recipe from the Kindle version.
Agreed on the value of the text. There are many good low-carb cook books out there if recipes are what you’re after.
Hi, Chris–
I’ve not seen the Kindle version. Is it somehow tough to find/access?
I actually read the book via Kindle from beginning to end and once I finished Appendix A, it was the next obvious thing to read.
Appendix B is also listed in the Table of Contents and it appears to work properly. So, I am not sure what the trouble might be.
OMG, this sounds so good! The problem now is that I am so eager to try all the yummy wheat free treats that I will gain all the weight back just from sheer volume of consumption!
I wouldn’t sweat it, Ann.
Remember: Calorie consumption drops the longer you are wheat-free. Hunger is driven by need, not impulse.
I second that! When I first started adding natural fats to my diet after going wheat free, I was losing a significant amount of weight on about 3,000 calories a day. Out of curiosity, I kept a food journal last week and found that I was averaging 1300 to 1600 calories a day. I now have to focus on eating enough most days since my appetite is minimal. The best thing is that when I get hungry it is genuine hunger, not cravings. No blood sugar crashes, headaches, nausea or shakiness, just nice normal hunger.
Imagine that: Eating to satisfy need . . . only!
Imagine a nation that catches on: 400 calories less per day, 365 days per year, 300 million people–that’s a lot of breakfast cereal and frozen dinner revenue lost!
Dr. Davis, you reference the idea of not needing to eat as much or eating only to satisfy hunger, a number of times in your book. Every time I read it I wonder about people like me who eat for emotional reasons. I’m not sure that eliminating wheat from my diet will solve my eating disorder.
You can only find out by trying, Sandra. In fact, more often than not, this kind of eating tends to dissipate or lessen with elimination of wheat.
Please let us know how it goes.
Yes, Dr. Davis, totally agree! I have been wheat free for about 8 or 9 weeks now, and it still amazes me that I am almost NEVER hungry. Now when I eat, I am able to actually enjoy and savor the food that goes into my mouth because I am no longer ravenous at every meal. Further, I don’t feel that I have to walk around with snacks (or as another author puts it, a “feed bag”) in my purse at all times. BTW, carrot cake is in the oven now :) Smells divine!
Love the “feed bag,” Ann!
I too am surprised and very disappointed that the Kindle version I purchased is different than the printed version. Had I known, I would have bought the hard copy instead. Dr Davis, can you tell us why there was a difference in them? And is there any way you can provide a link to the recipe section to those of us that did buy the Kindle book?
I’m about half way through Wheat Belly and am welling everyone I know to read it.
OOPS, Should have read, I am TELLING everyone I know to read it.
I’ve not actually seen the Kindle version. But it sounds like you’ve got to go into the appendices to find the recipes.
What?? I am reading the kindle version. I wont get recipies?? Not right!
Confused….my Kindle version has recipes in Appendix B.
Great thanks Patti!!